OUR INSTRUCTORS

JEN AVERSA

Owner / Director / Instructor

Jennifer Aversa graduated Summa Cum Laude from Towson University with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and Dance Education. While at Towson, Jennifer performed with the Towson University Dance Company and had the opportunity to perform in works by Mark Taylor, Mark Dendy, Douglas Graham, and Scott Rink. Also during her company years, she had the privilege to perform with the Baltimore Symphony at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Jennifer danced with Cross Currents Dance Company for eight years, performing at venues including The Jack Guidone Theatre, Dance Place, and The Kennedy Center.

Jennifer has also had the opportunity to study and take master classes at Joy of Motion in Bethesda, MD, Dance Place in Washington, DC, Maryland Youth Ballet in Silver Spring, MD, Lines in San Francisco, CA and Broadway Dance Center and Dance Space in NY, NY. She has also traveled to New York City several times to attend the Dance Teacher Magazine Summer Conference where she had the opportunity to study with Finis Jhung, Bob Rizzo, Bill Evans, and David Howard. Jennifer also appeared in Deborah Vogel’s instructional video, Analyzing Arabesques.

Jennifer directed Kinetics Dance Theater in Howard County from 1998-2002, directed the Merritt Dance Academy in Owings Mills, MD, and has been teaching in private studios, schools, and for parks and recreation in the Baltimore/Washington area for over 23 years. Jennifer holds Grades 1-5 Cecchetti Ballet teacher Certification and is a member of the Cecchetti Council of America and the National Dance Association.

Jennifer received her 200 Hour yoga certification from YogaWorks in Dec of 2018 and is a registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance. She also holds her Level 1-3 Radiant Child Yoga Certification as well as completed a 30-hour teen yoga training through YogaEd. She has recently received training in Restorative and Yin Yoga through YogaWorks and is excited to bring the option of yoga to students and families at the studio as a way to support their dance education and overall well being.

2020 Teacher Of The Year

2020 Outstanding Dance Educator

ABT Certified Teacher

Jen Aversa is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

Our Dance Instructors

(Listed Alphabetically)

TIFFANY ALASTANOS

Tiffany Alastanos is a dance teacher at A Mario Loiederman Middle School for the Creative and Performing Arts in Silver Spring, MD. She is also the junior dance company director and has served as coordinator and choreographer for All County Dance in Montgomery County Public Schools. She holds a BFA in Dance from Ohio University and an MA in teaching from University of Maryland Baltimore County. She danced professionally with Piel Morena Contemporary Dance in Chicago, IL.

Tiffany is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She is also a fully certified Pilates instructor through Power Pilates. She has had her choreography performed at various festivals throughout Maryland and West Virginia. Tiffany brings a passion for dancing and a desire to help each student achieve their very best to her classes. She leads with a kind but disciplined approach that creates a fun and focused atmosphere for her students.

SUMMER BLACHOWICZ

Summer began dancing at the age of 3 and instantly fell in love. She studied ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, modern, and pointe at Dance Foundations for 15 years. She also studied and interned in dance at Long Reach High School. Summer then went on to graduate from Dean College with a BA in Dance with a concentration in performance and choreography. As well as an AS in Business.

Throughout the years, she has enjoyed performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, at Disney, and studying under professionals such as Jeremy Ruth Howes, Melissa Amershek, Derek Mitchell, and Keenan Cooks. Summer is very excited to share her knowledge and love for dance with the students at Dance Connections.

REBECCA DUNPHY

Rebecca Dunphy is from Stewartstown, Pennsylvania where she began dancing at EMC Performing Arts Studio. Here she trained extensively in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, and hip hop under notable teachers such as Michelle White Cummings of Ballet West, Ashley Spears of Joffrey Ballet, and Carrie Millikin Euker of Milwaukee Ballet as a member of The Susquehanna Youth Ballet and Company Elite. Her training continued at Mercyhurst University where she performed with The Mercyhurst Dancers, Mercyhurst University Dance Team, and Liturgical Dance Ensemble. In addition to classical works, she was selected to work with contemporary guest artists including Catherine Meredith, Gina Patterson, and Jeffrey Rockland.

In May 2021, Rebecca graduated Summa Cum Laude from Mercyhurst University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance and Criminal Justice, with a concentration in pre-law studies. She currently dancers professionally with Ballet Embody, Maryland’s premiere contemporary ballet company, and teaches throughout Maryland and Pennsylvania.

CARLY FAYE

Carly Faye, a Baltimore native, has recently returned to her hometown after dancing in NYC for 9 years. She was the Head Teacher and Manager for Shooting Stars NYC for 7 years. Her dancers at Shooting Stars have won multiple competitive awards, and performed at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, and Madison Square Garden. Prior to joining the Shooting Stars team Carly was the head of the Dance Department at Camp Starlight, and a highly sought out teacher in the New York & Baltimore-Washington Area. Her choreography has received regional and national recognition, been selected for the American College Dance Festival and performed on prime time television. In addition to competitive studios, Carly has worked with public and private schools teaching multiple styles of dance to people of all ages, as well as choreographing for their dance companies and teams.

Carly has been training dancers in Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Tap and Ballet for 15 years, and her students have been accepted into the Kirov Academy, Carnegie Mellon, University of the Arts, Julliard, The Bolshoi Ballet, Alvin Ailey, and have gone on to have professional careers all over the world. Carly has performed professionally with Silvertree Productions, The Next Stage Project, Baltimore Dance Collective, and at New York Fashion Week.

AMY FLEMING

Amy Fleming is a performer, dance teacher, and occupational therapist. Amy grew up performing and dancing, leading her to pursue a Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre from the Catholic University of America. After graduating, Amy performed in Disney World before joining the original cast of Feld Entertainment’s Playhouse Disney Live on Tour. Amy traveled to China, Japan, Russia, Indonesia, Mexico, Uruguay, Brazil, Canada, Spain, Italy, the UAE, and all over the USA.

After traveling the globe, Amy pursued her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy (OT) from Towson University. Amy stays connected to the arts through teaching dance and theatre, as well as using elements of theatre and dance in her OT practice. She has been teaching tap dance, musical theatre, drama and dance since returning from tour! Since March, Amy has been teaching dance and musical theatre in a virtual setting.

STEPHANIE KARL

Stephanie began her dance career at the age of 9 under the instruction of Jen Aversa and was one of the original company members at Dance Connections, Inc. She holds an Associates in Arts degree in Dance from Howard Community College, under the direction of Renee Brozic, Joan Nicholas-Walker, Nicole McClam, and Lester Holmes. While at HCC, Stephanie performed with the Art’s Collective Dance Company, where she studied with Daniel Phoenix-Singh of Dakshina among other renowned choreographers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and a minor in Theater Production from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County under the direction of Carol Hess, Douglas Hamby, and Elizabeth Walton. While at UMBC Stephanie studied under guest artists Helanius Wilkins, Florian Rouiller, and Trent Williams. She has performed in both faculty and student pieces, and also choreographed her own work.

Stephanie has performed and stage managed for Art’s Collective, Howard Community College, UMBC, Baltimore Dance Project, Baltimore Theater Project, The Kennedy Center, and Resorts Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. She has studied many styles of dance, including Ballet, Pointe, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Character, Flamenco, and Irish Step. In addition to teaching classes, she is also a company director at Dance Connections, Inc. She loves sharing her love of dance with everyone and is always looking for ways to continue her education. In addition to dancing, Stephanie is a travel agent and loves to travel the world exploring new places.

BETHANY KWASNIEWSKI-GEOGHEGAN

Bethany Kwasniewski-Geoghegan began her formal ballet training under Canan Kadam Jackson, former soloist with the Ankara National Ballet of Turkey and her husband Stephen Jackson at John Hayes O’Neill Studio of Dance in Rome, NY. She went on to study with the Mercyhurst University Dance Department under Tauna Hunter, earning a B.A. in Dance with a concentration in Teaching/Choreography. During her undergraduate study, she attended summer intensives including Point Park University’s International Summer Dance in Pittsburgh, PA and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lakes, MI.

Following graduation from college in 2004, she moved to Maryland to teach full-time for Cecil Dance Center in North East, Maryland. She has taught both ballet technique and contemporary dance for the Baltimore Ballet School and Company from 2005-2009 and again from 2017-19.

Ms. Bethany has served as a faculty member and associate dance ensemble director for the Community College of Baltimore County where she taught ballet, modern, and dance appreciation from 2007-2008. She has taught beginner-advanced levels of ballet, pointe, and modern technique at The Sudbrook Arts Centre while serving as artistic director of The Baltimore County Youth Ballet from 2014-2017. She has acted as a faculty member and as a guest instructor for many area dance institutions and is looking very forward to teaching at Dance Connections this season! Miss Bethany is happily living in Catonsville, MD with her husband and daughter.

CHRISTINA MONTELEONE

Christina Monteleone obtained her Bachelors of Science in Psychology: Child Development with a double minor in Dance and Education from Ursinus College, as well as a Post-Bachelor's certification in Family-Professional Collaborations from Towson University, and her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction: Educational Leadership from Liberty University. Christina offers over 7 years of dance teaching experience and choreography experience.

Christina grew up in New Jersey and danced in Philadelphia, PA in numerous programs including the Rock School for Dance Education where she danced professionally with the PA Ballet and Santanado School of Ballet where she danced with the Wilmington Dance Company, and in several dance organizations throughout college. Christina is currently a 2nd grade teacher at St. John’s Parish Day School and is very excited to continue her passion for teaching dance with Dance Connections for the 2022/2023 school year.

OLIVIA REARDON

Olivia Reardon has been dancing since she was 3 years old and truly cannot imagine her life without it. She spent 9 years growing her love and talent for dance as a member of Dance Connections' dance company. She has studied and performed in many different styles of dance including ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and pointe and is certified through Cecchetti Ballet grade 4. Olivia absolutely loves children and her passion for teaching grew at a young age as a teaching assistant.

She now continues to grow her passion by teaching ballet, tap, and jazz as well as choreograph pieces for the dance company at Dance Connections. Olivia currently attends Messiah University where she is studying English with Education and Dance.

CAMERON SMITH

Cameron Smith has been dancing since she was 3 years old and has studied a variety of genres including ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, contemporary, and lyrical. When she was 13 she began to focus more on ballet and acted as a ballet student teacher under the instruction of Maureen Wheeler where she first discovered her passion for teaching dance. She attended University of Maryland to obtain her BS in Environmental Science and a Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture and continued to dance with the University’s premiere ballet company, Ballet Company M. She was a member from 2016 until she graduated in 2020 and she choreographed multiple pieces and performed in their annual Nutcracker and Spring Showcase. She also acted as the Artistic Director and Executive Director of the company from 2018-2020.

She was a guest artist with the Metropolitan Ballet Theater Performance Company for one of their 2018 performances and danced in the Little Mermaid with Charm City Ballet in 2018. She has been a company member at Kinetics Dance Theater since Summer 2022. She began teaching ballet and pointe in 2019 and has had the opportunity to choreograph pieces for a variety of ballets including The Nutcracker, Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, and Peter Pan. She has also previously worked as a choreographer for a ballet and pointe competition team for a local dance studio in Columbia Maryland and her choreography has won numerous overall, choreography, and judges awards. In addition to being a dancer she is currently a student at the University of Maryland, School of Public Health to obtain her PhD in Environmental Health Sciences.

SERENE WEBBER

Serene is a CMA (Certified Laban Movement Analyst). She has applied her Movement Analysis training in her dance teaching and choreography, dance teaching of young children with Autism and language delays, and teaching adults with Parkinson's Disease.

Serene was a double major in Psychology and Dance Performance and graduated with her B.F.A. from Towson University. She has been teaching in Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and Baltimore City for the past 18 years and has been a guest choreographer for the Anne Arundel County Public Schools for the past 7 years. Serene also enjoys performing and choreographing as a guest artist with various companies in the Washington, DC and Baltimore area. Besides dancing, Serene loves spending time with her husband, daughter, and son.

Our Studio Staff

JOANNE DIMAGGIO - Customer Care Manager

Joanne was introduced to Dance Connections over 15 years ago when her daughters began dancing. All three of her girls loved being a part of Dance Company and taking classes. Over the years, Joanne was a classic “Dance Mom” here, attending countless recitals, repeatedly driving to and from the studio, and developing close friendships among the other moms. She is excited to be a part of the Dance Connections team and helping create a special place for here for other kids. Along with being a mom of three, Joanne also teaches math and science twice a week at a home school tutorial and is a long time Orioles fan.

Instructor

Stephanie Depew began her dance career at the age of 9 under the instruction of Jen Aversa and was one of the original company members at Dance Connections, Inc. She holds an Associates in Arts degree in Dance from Howard Community College, under the direction of Renee Brozic, Joan Nicholas-Walker, Nicole McClam, and Lester Holmes. While at HCC, Stephanie performed with the Art’s Collective Dance Company, where she studied with Daniel Phoenix-Singh of Dakshina among other renowned choreographers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and a minor in Theater Production from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County under the direction of Carol Hess, Douglas Hamby, and Elizabeth Walton. While at UMBC Stephanie studied under guest artists Helanius Wilkins, Florian Rouiller, and Trent Williams. She has performed in both faculty and student pieces, and also choreographed her own work.

Instructor

Ms. Bethany has served as a faculty member and associate dance ensemble director for the Community College of Baltimore County where she taught ballet, modern, and dance appreciation from 2007-2008.

Ms. Bethany has taught beginner-advanced levels of ballet, pointe, and modern technique at The Sudbrook Arts Centre while serving as artistic director of The Baltimore County Youth Ballet from 2014-2017.

She has acted as a faculty member and as a guest instructor for many area dance institutions and is looking very forward to teaching at Dance Connections this season! Miss Bethany is happily living in Catonsville, MD with her husband and daughter.

A Rave Review!

" My daughters have been with Dance Connections for three years. I would dream of taking them anywhere else. The instructors are knowledgeable, personable, and make every class a fun and interactive place for the dancers. More than anything, I love the family feel of the studio, and knowing that everyone there wants what is best for my girls' dance education! "

Contact Us

ADDRESS & HOURS

8001 Hillsborough Road Suites A-C

Ellicott City, MD 21043

Monday: 10 AM–9 PM

Tuesday: 10 AM–9 PM

Wednesday: 10 AM–9 PM

Thursday: 10 AM–9 PM

Friday: 10 AM–9 PM

Saturday: 9 AM–12 PM

Sunday : Closed

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About

Dance Connections is dedicated to offering high-quality instruction at an affordable price. The school's curriculum offers classes in ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, tap, Broadway dance, hip-hop, and yoga. The curriculum also fully integrates the cognitive, motor, social, and affective domain as well as addresses the needs of children to express and communicate their ideas, to understand and know themselves, and to master their own movement abilities and potential. The focus at Dance Connections is to educate each child individually in order to bring each student to his/her full potential. At Dance Connections, every child can be successful in dance.

Opening Hours